Dark Duck 01: The Vampires of St Canard
by VAPX007
Summary: The terror that flaps in the night investigates the terror that stalks the night. This seems a bit too dangerous, even for DW. But just you try telling him that! Warning: violence. Please review any advice, this is my first fanfic.
1. Random Pick

**_Disclaimer: _**Darkwing Duck _and his cannon fiends and friends belong to the _Disney Corporation_. As such, no actual ducks, rats, bats, bulls, plants, demons, chickens, windows, zombies, dogs, robots, F.O.W.L installations, etc were harmed in the making of this mental excursion. _

* * *

**Chapter One: A Random Selection**

* * *

"At last ... ultimate power!" Negaduck finished adjusting his new ray gun. "With this little baby, nobody is gonna stop me!" His new toy had just happened to fall into his hands ... once he'd eliminated the scientists, and of course those pesky military guards had to go. It had been an easy job with the right firepower. He laughed to himself.

"Now all I need is to test it out on some worthless sap." He pointed the targeting unit out the window and set his sights on a random late night pedestrian. "Hey, why be fussy? Any sap will do." He pressed the trigger.

Right machine, correct adjustments … Wrong pedestrian.

Negaduck slammed the window shut, and backed away in wide-eyed shock. He about-faced and ran to the door just as the window pane shattered.

* * *

Negaduck skidded to a stop outside the building, slammed the exterior door shut behind him and gasped for breath. He tried to reason off the panic. "No way ... am I gonna let ... an irrational fear ..." The door burst open behind him and he pelted down the sidewalk in spite of himself. But he knew he couldn't keep running forever.

He spied a large dumpster. No bed of roses, it would be quite repulsive smelling for his pursuer. He skidded to a stop and dived in headlong. He slammed the lid down over him and then waited with baited breath. There was a sound of footsteps on the concrete, which came and after a long while, went away again.

Negaduck waited a few more minutes, before he cautiously looked out over the top of the dumpster. There was nothing waiting for him out there. He got out, and headed back to his hideout, brushing off a banana peel from his hat as he went.

His ray gun worked, and would be his ticket to possessing all the power in St Canard. Maybe, except for that crazed nightmare he'd used it on and therefore set loose upon himself. Well, he knew he had to fix that. And he knew just the patsy he was looking for.

* * *

The dog lay on top of the hotel bed, listening to jazz on the radio, reading a tourist brochure for the Audubon national park. His ears pricked and he looked up, watching the door handle turn. He glanced across the room. On the table was the key to unlock the door.

"What the ...!" Manny Hardly barked in shock, sitting up as he watched the bony, bedraggled duck shape step into the hotel room.

"Geez, Laura, how'd someone manage to suck that much life out of you? You look a hundred years old."  
She stood there, teetering unhealthily in front of him, gazing at his neck. "I'm so hungry."  
"You didn't get the sod back," he stated the obvious, "how come?"  
She went over to the window and closed the curtain on the dawn in response.

"Come here, baby." He held out his arms for her. She climbed onto the bed. "That's no good you bein' like this." She curled herself up in his arms. "You'll get him at sunset. Then we can meet on up at the Heart and Spade Club."  
She purred in his arms, and he groaned as she sank her teeth into his neck.


	2. Black Cloud

**Chapter Two: Black Cloud**

* * *

At Darkwing Tower, half an hour before sundown, Launchpad was readying the ThunderQuack.

"Gee, DW, I don't trust the guy. Negaduck never surrenders. Well, maybe once, but he didn't really mean it."  
"I can't pass this up, Launchpad. I don't believe him either, but I still have a chance to nab Negaduck. Don't worry, I'm always prepared." With that he tucked his gas gun behind him and checked his spy gadgets.  
"Sure. I mean, I guess it's worth a shot." The air ace waited for his friend to jump into the flyer and then took off.

* * *

Launchpad manoeuvred the flyer over the huge steeple of the metro church.

"We're ten minutes early."  
Darkwing looked at the building in strategic contemplation. "You may call it early, Launchpad. I, on the other hand, call it 'catch the villain unprepared'."  
"There's nowhere to land." Launchpad had his own considerations and they were regarding the church below them. "The roof's not flat enough."  
"That's okay, Launchpad. You wait out here with the ThunderQuack."  
"You just want me to ... park in mid-air?"  
"Well, just hover around, then. This won't take very long. It's only Negaduck." Darkwing was clearly distracted.

Darkwing jumped down onto the fire exit of the old building and took a moment to review the room beyond the open arch window. Then he threw in a gas grenade, and shortly jumped in after it.  
"I am the terror that flaps in the night."  
"And you are right on cue." Darkwing spun around on the spot, looking for the direction Negaduck's attack was coming from but he was too late. With a big rumbling sound overhead, a huge net of chains crashed down on top of him.

* * *

Darkwing blinked dazedly back into consciousness.

"Now, you just sit tight ... Negaduck." Negaduck snickered as he finished binding Darkwing.  
"Negaduck, what are you ..." Negaduck was sporting Darkwing's purple outfit. Darkwing glanced down at himself, tied in ropes to the chair. Yep, he was in yellow alright. "Oh, this is low even for you, you ..."  
"Well, I don't have time to agree with you. Oh and ..." He taped Darkwing's beak shut. "That's much better." Negaduck stepped back and reviewed his new outfit. "I'm not too fond of purple, but hey, anything to stay alive." There was a sound in the distance outside. "Alright, show time."

* * *

The bat-like creature flew up and landed on the window-sill. Then it jumped down into the room and becoming more like a duck as it straightened up.

"Negaduck!" The creature growled, still sounding rather unduck-like. She rounded on Negaduck, completely ignoring the fact that Darkwing even existed. "Now I've got you. You owe me."  
"Na-ah, I'm not Negaduck. I'm Darkwing Duck. That's Negaduck, I've caught him." She straightened from her menacing pose with a look of confusion on her face.  
"What are you talking about? Pleading insanity won't broker with me. You owe me."

"I think you're a might confused." Negaduck tried again. "I'm Darkwing Duck, I am the terror that ... uh runs. In the night."  
"No-oo. I am the terror that stalks the night!" The woman gestured furiously. "I'm the vampire that haunts your nightmares." She leaped after Negaduck as he dodged away from her. "And you are ... dinner!"

"Not tonight." He pulled out a huge wrist-watch shaped gadget. He pressed the button and he disappeared in a fizz that reminded Darkwing of Megavolt.

The woman hissed in frustration.  
"You idiot! Disarm him first, and then eat him! Geez." She paced for a moment, before advancing on Darkwing. His nerves twinged defensively. When he realised she was only untying him, he relaxed. "You wanna know what my problem is, it's because I don't ... really want to kill him. I mean, sure, he's an evil demonic duck. But I've never killed anything. I don't particularly want to start." Darkwing was free, and he scrabbled to face her.

He ripped the tape off his beak. "Thank you." He paused. "What's your name?"  
She blinked. "Uh ... Laura Hardly."  
"Look, Laura. You can't ... you shouldn't kill Negaduck, he belongs in jail, to pay for his crimes." She frowned at him for a moment in thought.

"Hey, do you know what he was going on about?"  
"You don't ... think there's any resemblance between us?" She considered him for a moment.  
"Uh, not really. You're a bit taller than him, I think." Laura closed an eye in a quizzical expression. "I think ... perhaps your intelligence base is level with his."  
Darkwing felt exasperated by this Laura. "How about the fact that ... I'm dressed in his clothes?"

She scratched her head. "Well ... they don't do a thing for you."  
"That's for sure." Darkwing muttered to himself as he turned away from her. "I'm liable to be locked up." He went to look out the window. "Launchpad," he called out, "Negaduck's switched our clothes. Could you get me my spare outfit from the glove compartment?"

"No problem, but how do I know it's you, DW?"  
"Oh, that's Darkwing most certainly. Negaduck is ..." Laura Hardly scanned the horizon through the window, and pulled Darkwing towards her so he could see for himself as she pointed. "That big old complex to the left of that huge duck soup billboard." She suddenly began to shake, and shoved Darkwing away from her.

"Oof." He turned around, looking at her frightened expression. "Er, thanks for the tip." He jumped into the flyer and grabbed the clothes Launchpad had out for him. Laura said nothing. "I'd appreciate it if you stayed here, away from trouble, miss."

"You don't understand." She pulled at her white hair. "How old do you think I am, really?" The question struck Darkwing. He was so involved in his work; he had only considered the threat situation, and little else. But that didn't necessarily mean he was self-centred ... did it?

Launchpad spoke up. "Uh, sixty?"  
"Launchpad!" But Laura simply crossed her arms.  
"Try twenty. Negaduck used a power suction device on me. If I don't get something to eat soon ... I'll get hungry enough to eat ... anything. And, given the alternatives ..." She turned into a cloud of black vapour and disappeared into the night. Darkwing blinked. "Right, you heard the lady. Let's go, Launchpad."

"You mean ... follow the lady that just turned herself into a b-black c-c-cloud." Launchpad gulped as he turned the flyer about and headed for the duck soup billboard.

Meanwhile, Darkwing was back in purple and sat to attention in the co-pilot seat. He pointed, "That's the building, LP."

* * *

"Come on, Launchpad, before there's nothing left of Negaduck to bring in to justice!" Darkwing jumped down from the flyer's cockpit, and crept through the doorway into the abandoned building. Negaduck was lying on the floor. Oh, no! Too late ... Darkwing looked over to the movement on the other side of the room. Laura Hardly was attacking a large cylinder with a crowbar. A very sophisticated woman, he thought sarcastically. He approached her. "I am the terror that flaps in the night." She whirled around, eyed him over, and then turned back to the cylinder again.

"Geez, you gave me a fright." She muttered.  
"I'm supposed to, that's my ..." She slammed the crowbar across the cylinder again. "What are you doing?"  
"It's the receptacle he was using."  
"Stop that!" He grabbed at the crowbar. Darkwing froze when the cylinder cracked. A low hissing sound began.  
"Uh oh."

Darkwing realised the strange Laura Hardly wasn't moving fast enough. The pressure in the cylinder was building up and readying to go off. He pulled out the grapple hook and attached it to his gas gun. "Time to get out of here."  
"No!" She picked him up and hurled him halfway across the room. The cylinder exploded, and he was helpless to watch as a bright green stream of energy hit the vampire full on. The cylinder finally emptied.  
"Uck, bit ... much. Ungh." She collapsed onto the floor.

Darkwing grimaced, that looked painful.  
"Hey, DW." He turned around, Launchpad was kneeling beside Negaduck. "He's still alive. He might need a hospital, however." So she hadn't killed him after all? That was a good start. "I found his wrist-watch. Oh, it's burnt out." Darkwing took it anyway.  
"This is how he got here so fast. No doubt it only had the power for one trip. Still, it's worth a look."

Darkwing stepped towards Laura's still form to check on her. A thin black cloud was hovering half a metre above her. Then it moved ... towards him! He backed up but the cloud slammed into him. He let out a scream; his body felt like it was on fire. He lost consciousness.

* * *

_Moral/Overview: Random actions sometimes beget unexpected consequences, and sometimes even luck may fail the prepared._


	3. Aftermath

_A/N: I am aware this is rough and sketchy._

**

* * *

**

Chapter Three: Aftermath

* * *

Launchpad knelt beside his buddy's unconscious form. He hadn't seen what had hit Darkwing Duck, but it sure must've been one heck of a doozey for him to shout like that.

He pulled out his cell phone.

"This is Launchpad McQuack. I'm at the old Red Herring warehouse. I need an ambulance with a police escourt." The woman on the other end knew his voice and put in the call quickly. Launchpad put the cell phone back just as DW opened his eyes. "Hey, DW!" Darkwing Duck groaned. When he looked up at Launchpad, he seemed a bit cross-eyed. "Gosh, DW, I thought you were a goner. What happened?"

"Something ... hit ... me." DW staggered to a stand with Launchpad's help. "LP, we've got to get Negaduck some help."  
"Already on it. There's an ambulance, and a police escourt, on the way."  
"Good work, Launchpad." Launchpad beamed. It was these little moments that reaffirmed his faith in his crime fighter companion.

"Gee, DW, you've been hit with plenty of things before. This must have been pretty bad. It couldn't hurt to let those medics check you over."  
"No ... I'm ... fine now." DW paused. Launchpad knew from experience that this pause was the exact moment that he was considering Launchpad's suggestion honestly. "Weirdly enough ... Don't worry, LP, I'll get a check up later." Then he double took the room. "Wait a minute, where's Laura?"

Launchpad looked to where she had been lying. "Oops, er, sorry, DW. I was a bit more worried about you." DW looked at him, as though waiting for more information. "She was there. I didn't see her go ..."  
"Never mind, the important thing is that we still have Negaduck." The ambulance siren in the distance grew louder. "But we'd better get out of here before the interrogations start." They headed for the stairwell and got up to the roof.

"I wouldn't know how to explain this one, DW." Launchpad started the ThunderQuack's engine as Darkwing swapped his hat for his helmet.  
"Neither would I, LP."  
Launchpad read the ThunderQuack's indicators as he flew back to Darkwing Tower. "I gotta remember to top up the engine once we get back." He muttered to himself. "Why can't churches have flat roofs like normal skyscrapers, anyway?"

* * *

Darkwing stepped out of the flyer and looked around the tower.

"You alright, DW?"  
Darkwing rubbed his arms. "Oh. It's nothing. It's just a pinched nerve." He rubbed the back of his neck as he went behind the screen to change.

He came back, flexing his fingers. "... Did you see the thing that hit me, LP?"  
"No. Whatever it was, it was gone when I turned around."

"You ... but there was plenty of ... time." Drake shuddered. "Do I look normal?" He went to the full length mirror to check.  
"You look alright, DW." Drake turned around, still not entirely convinced. Somewhere buried deep inside him was the truth of what was wrong. Like the reflection of himself was some sort of fiction, lying about reality.

"I'll get the doctor to run blood tests." He decided. "If I've been infected with something, it should show up there."

* * *

Back in the city, down in the clubbing district, neon signs for the clubs glowed and blinked in advertisement. Amidst them, a simple sign stood, unassuming to the eyes of the normal thoroughfare.

Most clubbers walked straight on past this door with the bouncers, assuming them to be extra bouncers for a nearby club or undercover policemen, watching for trouble. The sign over their head read 'Heart and Spade' in simple red paint so it didn't grab as much attention as the neon signs.

Laura Hardly was showing ID at a bouncer.  
"Sorry, ma'am, you've gotta be twenty one."  
She snarled at him, "I'm a vampire, Phil! Fifteen is the adult age. Or what're you gonna be telling me, now I'm suddenly too young to be married with my own kids back home? Seriously, I'm not in the mood to be messed with, boys."  
"Moods are a double no. We don't brook with no fights in here."

"I'll only be five bloody minutes."  
"Blood?" Will, the other bouncer stepped in front of her. He sniffed at her. "Have you been drinking?"  
"Well ... yes ... but there's a reason for that, it's because ..."  
"I'm sorry, that's it then. You're definitely not going in." She stepped back, crossing her arms.  
"Fine." She said, exhaling. Then she drew a deep breath in.

"Manny Hardly!" She bellowed so loud both bouncers doubled over, holding their ears in shock. "If you don't come out here right now, so help me ... I'm leaving St Canard and going on home without you!"

"Yo, whoa, where's the fire, baby?" A gangly dog appeared at the door instantly.  
"Where's the fire? Under my scorched webbed feet, that's where. This whole blasted St Canard is coming up in flames around me."  
"But you get the guy that copped you one; you're looking your age now."  
"Oh, yeah, I got him. And now I've got my own duck tail."  
He swore. "A duck? Girl, you should never let any Envy's know about us. Who's after you?"  
"Some guy called Darkwing Duck."

The two bouncers blanched at their conversation. "You let Darkwing Duck know about vampires?"  
"He was there with Negaduck. It wasn't as if I could help it."  
"You know, it might be alright for you out-of-towners, but the rest of us have to live here."

"Who's Darkwing Duck?" Manny asked the two bouncers.  
"Darkwing Duck is what you'd call a slayer waiting to happen. And now he knows there are real vampires out here on the streets, he's going to go load his gas gun up with stakes and start hunting us too."  
"So? We're vampires. We can deal with it like vampires." Manny crossed his arms. "Duck soup."

"Manny, where's your manners?" Laura admonished him. "Fellahs, you don't have to go after him! He's not such a bad guy." Laura said, giving more details on her earlier words. "He's trouble with a capital T-R, but I found him kinda soft on the inside."  
"We planet dwellers have a technical term for what it was you saw, Mrs Hardly. It's called a magma chamber."

"It's alright for you to joke, Will." Phil, the other bouncer shivered. "I watched him knock the stuffing out of the Thomson brothers like they were nothing but Envys."  
"But you know they were playing possum."  
"We can only be grateful they weren't drunk enough to start actually playing vampire. I tell you what, though. They still looked mighty happy to see the inside of that paddy wagon."

"I'm just lucky St Canard is it for him." Laura commented.  
"Yeah, we're the unfortunate ones."  
"There's always a cure for that." Manny said firmly grabbing Laura's arm and pulling her into his embrace. He dragged her hair away from her neck. "Or are you forgetting what a vampire is?"

"You'd best leave." The bouncers went quietly furious. "We won't have that sort of thing here."  
"Geez, are all you city vamps toothless? I reckon you'd better get a real vampire in to do the job properly. That is if you want that Darkwing Duck solved. Come on, Laura. Let's blow this joint; this holiday's getting old, anyway."

* * *

Darkwing parked the rat-catcher on the side of the street.

"It couldn't hurt to stay in, put your feet up."  
"I feel fine, Launchpad."  
"I just want to be sure, DW."  
Darkwing got off the rat-catcher. "I feel fine, LP. So long as I don't start sneezing or coughing up black stuff, I don't think I'm contagious."

Launchpad paused. "That sounds familiar." He frowned. "Now ... it was something in history class. I can't think of it. Oh, you said it was a ... black ... cloud. Maybe you've caught the black plague."  
"I ...!" Darkwing gaped at his friend. "No, Launchpad, it's nothing like that." Darkwing grimaced. "I feel fine, Launchpad." He repeated for the umpteenth time. "Let's just stop some criminals, okay?" He turned around the street corner.

* * *

The next street was quiet. A busted door stood askew, illuminated by the light from a lonely lamp post on the street in front of it.

Darkwing Duck reviewed the broken doorway. He always took the element of surprise when he had it, and this again, was a typical situation. Silent, cautious, his senses on alert, he moved towards the doorway. But as he approached the circle of light cast by the lamp post a feeling of panic filled him, and he felt like he was flat on the ground.

"DW!" Launchpad ran towards him as he fought back the mindless panic. He moved back away from the light. Launchpad was spinning around, looking for him. "DW, where are you?"  
"I can't ... breath!" As if a wish granted, air filled his lungs.

Launchpad rushed to his side. "You disappeared. Not like you usually do, you really disappeared this time." Darkwing took another grateful breath. "Where were you?"  
"On the pavement." Cautiously, Darkwing stepped towards the circle of light again. It didn't happen this time. "It happened when I moved near the light."  
"DW, I didn't see you get anywhere near the light. You disappeared way before then."

Darkwing spied the burglar attempting a silent exit and pounced on him. After a short scuffle he snapped the wrist cuffs on the criminal.  
"Crowbar. I guessed this was your work." Darkwing watched Launchpad back away to call in the robbery.

"Hey, yeh can't collar me yet, Darkwing Duck."  
"Oh?"  
"Yeah, yeh haven't said 'I am the terror' and stuff."  
Darkwing raised an eyebrow. "Oh, please."  
"Yeh didn't get the charges to stick last time, cornduck."  
"It doesn't bother me." Darkwing said, feeling perhaps excessively calm about the matter. "For as long as you lead a life of crime, you know I'll be ready out here waiting in the darkness to stop you. It'll be just you and me. And then it'll be you and me again. You'll never get rid of me; I am the terror that flaps." The siren wailed into the street. Darkwing stepped back from Crowbar.

"Aye, what's this then?" The officer said, stepping out of the car.  
"Burglary, break and enter and attempted theft." Darkwing gestured to the sack.  
"Crowbar." The police officer shook his head. "I hope this one won't slip past the judge." The cop took Crowbar's arm. "Thanks, Darkwing Duck."  
"No problems, officer." Darkwing beamed as the officer guided Crowbar into the back seat. "Oh, can I get another set?"  
"Ah, yes, I should have remembered." The officer handed Darkwing another two sets of wrist cuffs. "See you next time." He turned back for the stolen items.

* * *

Darkwing picked up the edge of his cape, the thought of leaving in his mind...

... and reappeared beside the ratcatcher. He stumbled, disoriented. Now he was frightened. Shaking, he sat down on the seat, and waited for Launchpad.

"You alright, buddy?"  
"No." Darkwing answered with a dry squawk. He turned on the engine, gripping the handles for a moment. He didn't know how he disappeared and that meant that at any moment he could disappear again. "You'd better drive this time, LP." He switched places with his sidekick, and as they were driving, he kept his mind focused on the road. 'Don't even ask the nerve-wracking question: What ... the heck was that?' He told himself firmly.

_

* * *

_

Moral Overview: Even an accomplished individual is still only as good as the people that support them.


	4. Consequences

**Chapter Four: Continuation and Consequences**

* * *

_A Day Later..._

"Ah, mister Mallard, take a seat. Now, I've reviewed your blood tests, and they don't read anything anomalous. You are a perfectly healthy duck."  
"Well, that's good, dad." Gosalyn, who had insisted on being there to hear the results, happily hugged him.  
"Uh, sure." He melted, and hugged her back. "I still ... you know, feel a bit ... weird."

"You probably just need more antioxidants in your diet. Lots of people catching colds this time of year ..."  
"But ..." Drake interrupted what was going to be a long-winded rant, "so you've never heard of anybody being attacked by black clouds?"  
"Hmm, black clouds ... perhaps you should think about taking a vacation. Happy, rested people don't suffer as much from that syndrome."

"No, I ... oh, never mind." Obviously the doctor wasn't the person to see.

* * *

_That Night..._

Darkwing Duck was holding a small bouquet of flowers as he stood on the doorstep with Gosalyn beside him. They watched the door to Morgana's place swing open. "Ah, Dark, darling. Gosalyn, come inside!" Morgana was pleased to see them, and ushered them in.

Darkwing walked into a room full of people. "Dark? Is there something the matter?" Darkwing reviewed the crowd in the room. Most of them were Morgana's family. "Well, I ... kinda didn't expect ... I wanted to talk with you ... alone. About ..." At this point, Morgana's father, Moloculo appeared at her side.

"Oh, the normal. Having some ... normal problems, are you?"  
"Not really!" Darkwing answered, always a bit too honest. "I mean ..." he held out his hands imploringly in front of him, "please don't ...!" The elder zapped him regardless of his plea. But instead of pain, Darkwing suddenly felt full, like he'd eaten dinner already.  
Morgana blinked at him in shock. "Darkwing, are you ... quite alright? Father, what did you do to him?"  
"I'm fine, Morgana. But ... we'd better be going. We don't want to stay and mess up your whole night."

Darkwing grabbed Gosalyn, protesting, and headed to the door. "Perhaps ... I'll talk to you some other ... time." The words knifed him in the chest as he opened the door. "Goodnight, Morgana." He looked back at her, and she gasped again. He closed the door.  
"Come on, Gosalyn."  
"Not fair, dad. We just got here. And aren't you supposed to have asked her to help you?"  
"Not with her father around, I'd rather not draw attention to myself. Besides, he'd just burn me at the stake or something." He sat her in the sidecar. "Hang on here." He turned around, reviewing his outfit. "I walked in there with purple, didn't I?"

"Yes, dad, and now you're wearing black. Must've been when Moloculo zapped you one."

Darkwing gulped. "No wonder Morgana was so ..." he hesitated, "shocked." He sighed, quickly entering a depressed state. Gosalyn snatched his attention back with her ever-bubbling enthusiasm.  
"Now what are we going to do tonight, catch some bad guys? Play monopoly, ooh, how about a movie? The Return of the Midnight Screech is playing."

"Just the two of us." He hugged Gosalyn with affection. What would he do without her?

"Let's go catch some bad guys, that'll make you feel better." He glared at her in warning. "You pound them and I'll ... keep out of the way. And watch. Heheh." She smiled at him innocently.

* * *

St Canard clubbing district. Just the place for criminal opportunities.

"Eugene Cutlet is coming from my side and he's armed and loaded with spoils." Phil reported.  
"Darkwing Duck is on my side." Will sniggered; "fully cocked as usual."  
"This heavyweight petty thug is in for a heckovah nasty surprise."

"Man, I love watching this guy."  
"Really?" Phil asked. "I hate it."

"Whoa, where'd he go? He was right in front of us."  
Will and Phil looked around for Darkwing Duck as Eugene walked through the space that Darkwing had only just been occupying.

"I am the terror that flaps in the night."  
"No ... way." Cutlet grunted, looking around.  
"I am the left sock that disappears in the wash."  
"Youse got lucky the last couplah times. This time I'm gonna plaster yeh."

"I am Darkwing Duck." Darkwing Duck appeared out of the shadows of the street and web kicked Cutlet out of a fighting chance. He landed on his back, the bag of goods flung aside.  
Will hissed. "Ouch. Damage the goods. Oughtn't to be so rough."

Darkwing stood over Eugene, fixed a pair of handcuffs on the dazed criminal. Then Darkwing pulled out his cell phone.  
"And the spell is broken." Will shook himself.  
"I seriously hate it when he comes around here."  
Will raised an eyebrow at Phil. "Get a grip, Phil."

* * *

The police car came and went, and Darkwing Duck vanished too.

"I'll get a grip." Phil grabbed Will from behind.  
"Oh, come on, we're on duty."  
"You might get off on vicarious living, I just get plain hungry." Phil let go.

"You wanna quit?"  
"I wanna eat." Phil paced a metre. "Or, I dunno, I want something. I need action."  
"Go home, Phil. I'll be alright here, if not, I'll give you a call."  
Phil gazed at Will. "Thanks." Phil translocated away.

* * *

"Can I see some ID?" Will turned to face the late night clubber.  
"Young man, I'm three times your age."  
"Ma'am, ID, please." He held out his hand. The woman in the leather outfit handed him her card. "I'm sorry; you're not old enough to go in."

"What?" She took her ID back, looking at it in disbelief.  
"He's joshing you, Pressie. It just gives him something to do."  
"Go on in, guys." They walked in through the doorway.

"You're going to have to show me some ID, miss."  
"I Dee?" Clarino felt along her skin-tight outfit. "I must've left it in my other dress." She walked past him into the doorway.

The dyed platinum blonde stepped up towards him. "I heard there are vampires that go to this club."  
"Do you believe everything you hear?" Will asked, quietly gazing at her.  
"Not ... not everything." He turned away from her. She stumbled back from him, shaking.

"Soraya, are you comin' or goin'?"  
"It's nice to meet you." Soraya said timidly, taking a deep breath.  
"Soraya. What a lovely name." She backed away from him and went in through the door.

"Ouch, those Envy's are rough. Why'd Clarino drag her along knowing she'd only be ditching her later?" He asked the air around him.

* * *

Megavolt saw two shadows on the floor in front of him, cast down through the large skylight overhead. By the light of the moon, it was Darkwing Duck! The elecctric rodent shook in anger. Why wouldn't that guy leave him alone?

Megavolt backed away from the centre of the room, then he realised that Darkwing and his short friend hadn't noticed him, and were deep in their private conversation. He listened in.

* * *

"Slow night, huh?" Gosalyn appeared at Darkwing's side. They were standing on top of a building, a skylight beside them. The moon shone brightly overhead. "You caught one crook at least."  
"Yeah. We should probably go home." Darkwing responded, still a little down.

"Darkwing, what happened when he jumped you in the gas cloud? I mean, I thought he'd slam into you or something. Something else happened, didn't it? And he ended up behind you?"

"Yeah, that was weird. It was like ... he just walked right through me. It was like I wasn't there."  
"Keen gear, you can shift molecular patterns!"  
"I can what?"  
"Well, duh, if you were there and he just walked right through you, it's because you were in a state of molecular flux." He blinked. "You were probably part of the cloud." She explained, crossing her arms.  
"Hang on ... yeah, you're right."  
"Yep, yep, I know, I'm a genius." She grinned with self-importance, crossing her arms.  
"Either that or too many Mongo movies. Come on, kiddo." He walked over to the fire exit. She followed him.

* * *

Megavolt considered the revelation. "What's important here?" Despite having watched absolutely no Mongo movies whatsoever, Megavolt still knew what molecular flux meant. "Wait a minute ... that means, when Darkwing is in the cloud, he is ... in the cloud! Airborne. Oh, boy, I'm a genius!" He grinned at a nearby light bulb that winked back at him. "Thanks, you too. Time for me to do some late night shopping, I think." Megavolt grinned to himself. "And then," he said with great relish, "to see about eliminating that purple picture poser ... forever!"

* * *

Soraya burst out of the club in a fit of tears.

"Why'd Clarino drag me along if she was just here to get laid?"  
"She probably needed bait to catch him." Will answered, standing there patiently.

"Oh, please. That girl doesn't need bait. She needs a moat with piranha in it to keep them away. You were looking at her too." She startled and glanced at Phil. "I ... thought there was only one of you."

"I'm just getting off work." Will held out his hand for her. "May I, Soraya?"  
She hesitated. "... You're a vampire, aren't you?"  
"Yes."  
She hesitated for another long moment, before taking his hand. "I just want to get away from here."  
"I do know the feeling." He walked her away down the street. "I know this great restaurant, why don't we go there?"


	5. Vampires of St Canard

**Chapter 3: Vampires of St Canard**

Up in Darkwing Tower, amidst the array of computer equipment, Darkwing Duck sat, engrossed in his research.  
"Why, you stupid piece of expensive trash!" He cursed loudly.  
Launchpad climbed up the ladder to the raised platform, an oil rag still in his fingers. "What's up, DW?" Over Darkwing's shoulder he read the source of his friend's frustration. "'Search word not found?'"  
"I have here a fully compiled list of St Canard residents from the polling records last fall, and the census records two years ago. She's not there."  
"So? That just means there's no Laura Hardly in St Canard."  
"But there is! I saw her, I talked with her. You saw her!"  
Launchpad paused in thought. "Gee, DW, do they really do censuses on graveyards?"  
"Be serious, LP." Darkwing snorted.

"She was flesh and blood, a real live person."  
"Well, if you say so, DW. But you weren't there when that thing flew up to the church. It sure didn't look very much like a person to me."  
"Thank you for your opinion, Launchpad." Darkwing said through his clenched beak.  
Launchpad smiled. "Hey, no problem-o, DW."  
Darkwing sighed and looked back at the screen. "I have never seen a vampire before now. I'm not going to stop searching until I know why!"  
"You know, a wise man once said, 'Don't look a gift-horse in the mouth'. For me, I'm just hoping we'll never see one again." Darkwing shook his head as his friend wandered back to cleaning the ThunderQuack.

The super sleuth sat back in his chair. One line of enquiry may have reached a dead end, but that was not going to stop the Midnight Mallard from unravelling this mystery. It just might take a bit longer than he had previously anticipated, that was all.

* * *

_A Few Nights Later..._

Darkwing Duck was driving down Acorn Avenue when he casually observed a rat walking out of a restaurant. One moment the silhouette was there outside the door, and then the next second he was nowhere. "Did you see that, Launchpad?" Darkwing screeched the rat-catcher to a stop in front of the restaurant.  
"Funny, the guy was just here ..." Launchpad scratched his head, looking around for the pedestrian. "Maybe he had a bike?"  
Meanwhile Darkwing had already jumped out and was casing the spot where the rat had vanished. "I should find this person; he might have some answers about what's happened to me."  
"A-are you sure you didn't just imagine it, DW?" Launchpad asked hopefully. Darkwing looked up at the restaurant's hanging sign, and then looked in through the window. The interior was dark, the sign on the door said 'Closed Mondays'.  
"How long has this restaurant been here, I wonder ...?"  
"The Thirteen Double Oh?" Launchpad shrugged. "Dunno, but it's a pretty posh place, so I've heard."

"Hmm, 'Thirteen double oh' ..." On a hunch, Darkwing stepped off the curb and backed up into the centre of the silent street.  
"Hey! I know, DW, you could check the business out on your computer."  
"No need, Launchpad. Look." Darkwing pointed. On the wall above the awning, inscribed into the original brickwork, was a name. It was almost illegible for the overgrowth of moss. "I knew I recognised the place, of course."  
" '1300 restaurant'? I don't get it."  
"LP, remember zero-zero is also double oh." Darkwing marched back to the rat-catcher. "And it sure isn't the street number."

* * *

Darkwing Duck waited all week for the disappearing rat to show up at the restaurant again. Despite Launchpad's claims as to the exclusiveness of the place, Darkwing saw as much leather as he did Chantilly lace pass through its doorway ... literally. Crazed artisans or sane fetishists? The variety kept his mind more or less occupied.  
On Friday, his luck finally came through and the person he was looking for walked out the door. Darkwing jumped off his parked rat-catcher and sped over.  
"Hey, wait!"

The restaurant goer took one look at Darkwing Duck, shrieked and then ran headlong down the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

* * *

Darkwing chased his quarry to a small acting theatre. "This guy must be an athlete," he reasoned as he caught his breath at the doorway. Darkwing crossed the threshold and the sudden total darkness confounded him.

He tried the light switch by the door, but nothing happened. "Hello?" He called out into the pitch stillness. "I'm er, sorry for scaring you. I just ... wanted to talk with you ... hello?"

With only the slightest sound, Darkwing's opponent had trounced him in the dark. All at once he was wound up in excessive rolls of Velcro rope. Then the mystery rat hoisted Darkwing over his shoulder and carried him through the theatre like a piece of luggage. Finally, he tied Darkwing to a chair.

A few scarce moments from entering the theatre, the super-sleuth was a prisoner.  
He took a realistic look at the situation. 'Come on! I have more restraining rope on me than a Bengali rope bridge! Talk about overreacting!' He was also unable to reason with the rat, since his beak was Velcroed shut.

* * *

A door in the distance squealed open, letting a slither of light into the theatre, creating a gloom. Darkwing could now see that he was on the theatre's stage.

"I came as soon as I could. For goodness sakes, Ron! What are you doing?" It was a woman's voice filled with concern. She was somewhere in the darkness below Darkwing's line of vision. Whoever this was, it was certainly no one Darkwing knew by voice.  
"Aah ... ha-um-ah ..." The rat hesitated with a resounding quiver that made Darkwing's feathers prickle. "Master, at last. He was ... hunting me. Why would anyone want to hunt me? I'm not worth anything. I ..."  
"Enough!" She thundered. The strength in her voice would be enough to freeze anyone white to the spot. It was the same tone of voice that Darkwing had to use on Gosalyn when she was getting too out of hand.

The woman began again, the voice of perfect rational calm. "I'll make a deal with you, Ron." She jumped up onto the stage. Now Darkwing could see her. The woman was a tall duck, with black hair and clothes, also sporting a lengthy black cape. This had the effect of rendering her nearly invisible in the abandoned theatre. "I'll handle this individual and you ..." She circled her hand around Ron's shoulder. She had long fingers and an expression of assuredness on her face. "You work on your self-esteem. And you don't come back to work until you are feeling better about yourself. Okay?" Ron turned his head, glancing back at Darkwing. "Don't you worry about him, or about anything. Just go. Look after yourself."

"Thank you, Master." And the rat vanished into the darkness. The Master paused for a moment, like she was readjusting her equilibrium. Then she untied the rope that held Darkwing to the chair. She grabbed hold of the Velcro and pulled him up to a stand like one would do with a rake or shovel. There was such intensity in her black eyes. Darkwing felt she was studying him like a bug under a microscope. "Right, you." She said in a far more business-like voice, "Come on." She picked up the edge of her cape in one hand, and her other gripping the Velcro bindings. They vanished from the theatre.

* * *

_Moral/Overview: Seek and you shall find. (It is not 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth', because Darkwing didn't learn that lesson!)_


	6. The Master Vampire

**Chapter 4: The Master Vampire**

Darkwing blinked a few times, adjusting to the light difference.

They were in an office block. The master took a step away from him, still contemplating. A moment later there was a sound of movement into the room from the door behind her. Unfortunately, Darkwing couldn't quite see.  
"Oh, Master, thank goodness you're back. There's an 11 O'clock appointment here for you." The thin girlish voice said hurriedly.  
"... Wait a second!" The master whirled on the secretary. Darkwing glimpsed a young woman with golden hair in a grey skirt-suit. "I don't take appointments. I am the Master. I'm the one who makes the appointments. And right now, I am busy."  
"Well, I tried to tell him that, but ..."

Behind her a deep and throaty voice thundered. "Ah, you must be the new CEO, Malduck." The walls shook with the strength of his rumbling voice. "Thank you, Petunia." The young woman flinched. "You may leave now."  
"Thank you, sir." She squawked and scrambled out of the office. The bull wedged his way in through the door.  
"Ah, sir. And you would be ...?" Darkwing gulped, his head going ten to a dozen. It was Adam Apfel, high profile business tycoon of Lilipula City. He dealt in illegal firearms on the side. Darkwing had never personally encountered him. What was he doing here in St Canard?  
"Adam Apfel." The business bull sized up Darkwing, who was completely harmless in his Velcro cocoon. "And Darkwing Duck, I see you've got him under wraps where he belongs. This is fast work for your first night in this city. That is correct, is it not?" Apfel laughed, deep and threatening, the sound reminded Darkwing of a thunderstorm.

"In fact, I was just saying, I am a rather busy person." She gestured towards Darkwing, "so ..."  
"Yes, as the new CEO of the Hamil Corporation offices in St Canard, this fair little city." Hamil Corp? These guys were huge business people. If they were involved in ... She interrupted the sleuth's thoughts, shoving Darkwing into the large office chair behind the desk.  
"Yes, yes, we're a large corporation with operations across the globe. Now, if we're going to talk, let's dispense with the overture ..." She raised her hand, and the door slammed shut. Darkwing considered a neat trick like that would be very worthwhile to learn.  
"Indeed." Apfel cleared his throat. "I hope you will be more reasonable than your predecessor was. He was, shall I say, less than eager to listen."  
Malduck's tone of voice went neutral. "He is only on leave. I am acting CEO here until he returns. Also, I want to find and resolve some problems. These offices are not as efficient as our other satellite operations." What was this master, some sort of auditor? Could an auditor take on the role of CEO? And, more annoyingly, why had he thought he wouldn't need his buzz saw cuff-links tonight?  
"Well, I have a business proposition I think you will find will increase your ... efficiency." Adam Apfel chuckled. "But we should dispose of the Dark Menace first." Darkwing glared at Apfel. That's right; he would menace the crook. As soon as he was free!

Malduck frowned at Darkwing for a moment. "If you don't mind, this is my charge. And I will deal with him temporarily." She used the corner of Darkwing's chair like a step, and got up onto the desk in order to see eye to eye with the massive bull. The chair wobbled and turned slowly around, stopping so Darkwing was facing the opposite wall, and he couldn't see any more.  
"Well. It is a ... partnership arrangement. Your company has fingers in all the best pies; shipping, for one thing. I have some ... technologies and other ... various small goods that could do with some shipping."  
"I see. You mean armoury."  
"Oh, that's such an old fashioned word. I prefer to think of it as ... saleable merchandise. We can negotiate on the profit split. I am sure that we can come to a beneficial arrangement for all concerned parties."  
"Indeed."

* * *

There was a long silence, punctuated with a click. "Security. Lawrence Eider, please report to the CEO office." There was another long silence, and Darkwing heard the master jump down onto the floor. She circled the table and turned Darkwing's chair back around. The door burst open. A young duck raced in.

"Oh, Master, you're ..." He glanced around the vacant space. Darkwing considered a valid question. What happened to Adam Apfel? Darkwing looked around the room from his new angle, and then caught his reflection in the wall to wall to ceiling window. He took a sharp breath. There was only him, the chair and the desk in the reflection of the room. "You don't need any help, I see."  
"Ah, no. I don't think so, but I do need an explanation for your actions. I am a little confounded by these events."

Eider crossed his arms. "Apfel has been terrorising these offices for several months, because the CEO wouldn't deal. They told me that the first thing he did was take out the head of security. He jumped the poor guy while he was checking the perimeter. Before they got me to replace the head, Apfel came and went as much as he liked. On one occasion he dusted the head of our research department, and another he splattered our main receptionist across the foyer. I sent him up to you, simply saying you would have a different stance to Rattray on the matter."  
"Somewhat different," Malduck chuckled. "You neglected to tell him, that if it bothers me, I don't hesitate in eating it."  
"I told him you were the master." Eider countered. "I have no problem with what I've done."

"Nor do I." Malduck shrugged and turned back to Darkwing. "Anyway, stick around, Eider, this should be interesting." She gestured in Darkwing's direction. Young Eider the vampire security guard looked at Darkwing for the first time and squawked in recognition, gaping at him.

"Blue bells and whistles! This is Darkwing Duck." Eider gestured grandly at Darkwing, making him feel quite pleased. The woman looked thoughtfully at Darkwing, then back to the guard. "Oh, so I see you are familiar with this person?" Darkwing consoled himself, fifty percent of the population in this room had heard of him. That was something at least.  
"Well, yeah! He's a vigilante." Eider twirled around on the spot. "He's the terror that flaps in the night. He's the guy that keeps us all in our jobs." He slapped his head. "What lunatic idiot trussed this guy up?"  
"Ronald Rattray." Eider gulped, suddenly sweating. "Did I say idiot? I meant ... uh ..." Obviously he had no other word to replace 'idiot' with, since he just gulped.

Malduck shook her head and ripped the Velcro rope from Darkwing, setting him free into the room. Of course, free was perhaps not the best word in this situation. Not only were these vampires, but they had actually done away with someone while he was captive in the same room! He ripped the Velcro off his beak. The master looked at Darkwing for a moment, as Eider concluded, "What I mean to say, is that he needs to be put back on the street."

The CEO stepped menacingly towards Eider. "Okay, so, if he's all that ..."

_

* * *

_

Moral/Overview: Kindness is its own reward. Also, it doesn't tend to come back to bite you as much.


	7. The Master

**Chapter 5: The Master**

"... Why isn't he on the payroll?" The guard was taken aback for a moment, then with a calmed, thoughtful expression said, "... gee, that's a good question ..." She spun around, and was back behind the desk, digging into the bottom drawer. She pulled out a bundle of papers.

"Hang on, hang on! Wait a second here." Darkwing said, speaking for the first time in what seemed like days.  
"What?" The woman looked at Darkwing in mild amusement.  
"I have some serious questions, lady." She sighed. "Not to mention, I think being paid by vampires might be a tad ... conflicting in interest with keeping the city of St Canard safe." He took a page out of her book and jumped on the desk. "What happened to Adam Apfel?"  
Eider answered. "He took an express elevator down. If you don't need me, Master, I'll be getting back to my duties."  
"Thank you, Eider." The security guard left through the door.

" 'Thank you, Eider.' " Darkwing mocked sullenly. "Do you have any idea ... What did you do to him, where is Apfel?"  
"I doubt you would understand the mechanics." He glared at her, that was might haughty and presumptuous!  
"Apfel should be in prison."  
"For what? For what?" Malduck rounded on Darkwing. "Eider actually was with the police force, and even he knew Apfel wouldn't see the inside of a jail cell and certainly that wouldn't stop him for very long. He was in my building, in my office, so he was my responsibility."

"And I am a vampire." She gestured to the window, vacant of her reflection. She glared at Darkwing and gritted the next words, "Do you have any more questions?" Darkwing took a moment to settle his nerves, and then plunged on with the invitation.  
"As a matter of fact, I do ..."  
"Indeed. I have a question for you." Calmness came over her face again. "What were you doing hunting our CEO?"  
"I didn't know he was your CEO ... But that's not important."  
"Then what is important?" She settled herself deeper into the chair, looking up at him in infinite ease. "Please, I'm very interested to find out what's in that vigilante brain of yours." She clasped her fingers. Darkwing embarrassedly got off the desk. She was definitely playing the control angle of this situation.

"I saw Ron do a vanishing act, and realised he might know something about what happened to me. So I followed him."  
"And what exactly did happen to you, to put you up to this?"  
"I got attacked by a ... black cloud."  
"Invaded." She corrected thoughtfully.

"I really think you should consider signing an employment contract with us." She changed the subject. "We have resources that you would find a great benefit." She leaned forward, pushing the papers across the table.  
"Ooh, no. I know your sort. I'm not signing away my soul on anything." She stood up, and in an instant she was standing over him.  
"Darkwing, precious, I already have your soul. And you gave it quite freely."  
"Oh?" He said, crossing his arms with trademark indifference. "And when did I do this, pray tell?"  
"When you decided to put on that outfit and become that 'really scary fast thing'. The terror in the night, to all evildoers alike."

" 'The really ...' " he gulped. She was talking about his high school prom. "I don't recall signing any documents back then, either." This caused her to break into a laugh.  
"I'm sorry, I ..." She got control of herself. "Beezlebub's got a lot to answer for." She shook her head. "From earth and space, came the darkness. Your soul belongs to the darkness." She shrugged. "You know that place they paint, the one with all the fire?" He frowned. "We simply don't go there."

"And you were not attacked. As a fellow creature of the night, you were a prime candidate for the Vespers' new home. Or should I say host, since that is what you are now for them."  
"Okay, so how do you get rid of them?" He knew the answer as soon as he opened his beak. "You can't." He hesitated. "Does this mean I'm a vampire?"  
"If you have to ask, then no." He took a deep breath of relief. "Although I would never say any colony of Vespers was harmless."

Darkwing nearly choked. "What do you mean by that?"  
"Well ... Vespers are ..." She struggled for the perfect word. "Well, uh, Vespers who live without hosts, you can just see them when it's dark and there's just a little light. They're the tiny black spots that swarm in the air. They swarm in the shadows, they hide under the bed."  
"The rest of the world call them dust."  
"When they're inert, they certainly are. But also remember these people are looking at dust in the light. Outside, they are a natural and healthy part of the ecosystem." She tapped her beak in thought.

"And they're dangerous because ...?"  
"I really do mean dangerous, because when a host's body becomes compromised beyond repair, they cannibalise the remains. We turn to dust, our bodily essence preserved in a pile of engorged, dorment Vespers." Darkwing shivered. "Try not to get yourself mortally wounded, okay? I doubt the Vespers would be any more understanding of your unaltered DNA than they were of Apfel's, host or not."

"That's what happened to him?"  
"Halfly, I had already killed him." Darkwing looked around at the room anew. Sure enough, the black spots swarmed in the shadow of the table. Then he looked at Malduck. "Apfel won't terrorise these people again. Apfel won't get away with supplying illegal firearms again." Darkwing stared at her, knowing instinctively she was holding something back. "Alright!" She broke. "The more evil they are, the better they taste." She crossed her arms. "So stake me if I'm wrong."  
Darkwing considered her actions and her last sentence for a long moment. "You're serious, aren't you?"  
"You cannot look at me and tell me I don't have power, or I don't know how to use it. Should I become a liability, I would really want someone like you to step in and stop me."

"Well, I think I've got more than what I came here for, so thank you." He turned and headed for the door.  
"I think you're forgetting something, Darkwing Duck." There was a lurking threat in her voice.

The door slammed shut before he reached it. He spun around and the light in the office went out, enveloping them in the glowing hue of the city. From out of the shadows, she advanced with a darkly menace in her eyes. He began to have trouble breathing. He then found he also couldn't move, like he was glued to the spot.

"You're forgetting I've read your soul, Drake." She whispered in his ear. "As it is my job to make such ultimate decisions, the skill is a necessity. I know you." She took a step back from him, but he was still a captive audience. How was she doing this?

"Vespers, Drake. I have spent my whole life with them. Tell me, have they not begun to anticipate some of your actions? Your motives, your habitual approach to a situation?"  
"Actually, I have cut down on gas cylinders. Appearing out of a cloud of vapour instead of a cloud of smoke doesn't cheapen the effect of it."  
"Then you should be able to fight me. Why don't you try it? Will yourself free of the bind." It was a long moment, and Darkwing was still not loose. He gave up. She shook her head, and then released him herself. He straightened up.

"Alright ... Darth Duck. What's the point you're trying to make here exactly?"  
"My prime interest in you is to keep you alive. What I have just done here you can easily replicate with some training and some more experience. Tune in better to the Vespers around you."  
"Well, yes, that'd be an advantage." She handed him the stack of papers.  
"Then consider it."  
"Just a 'couple' of brochures, hey?"

"Oh, probably one other thing you should know before you leave. Not all of the staff are vampires. For example, Petunia Webster isn't. All our offices have a variety of personnel. We find a good balance with like-minded individuals."  
"Oh, so you wouldn't hesitate to hire a ... space goblin from Jupiter then?"  
"Of course not, if he met the criteria." She said with a look of mild amusement on her face.

"Most of the vampires around here do look at things in colour, so just to prevent confusion, I suggest you come in as Drake Mallard from now on."  
He blinked. "I don't understand."  
"Colour vision interferes with the hunting senses. On the other hand it is optional, and you need colour to play video games, and do other sorts of things." She blinked. "Or so the young ones tell me. Only a hunter, or a person on a hunt would recognise you as one and the same person, because they use other means to identify you. Your height, your dimensions, how you smell, how you sound, your emotional aura. But then add colour and they start to doubt their other senses. You'll have people very confused, asking who you are every time you come in the doorway."

"Are you saying that my secret identity isn't forfeited here?"

"Not if you stick with being Mallard when you come in the door. Besides which, Hamil Corporation employees know the value of secrets."

_Moral/Overview: Not all crooks go to prison. Sometimes they just disappear._


	8. Investigation

**Chapter 6: Investigation**

Drake dumped the ton of brochures and the employment forms on the table. Who did she think she was? He rifled through the papers. A boarding school? In Australia? Then he'd never know what Gosalyn was up to. He dropped it on top of the stack. Wait. He picked it up again. "Day school too?" He flicked through the pages.

* * *

"Good morning, DW." Launchpad came in through the front door into the kitchen, and Drake started awake. "You forget to go to bed again?"  
Drake stretched. "I ... have a lot on my mind." He pushed away the litter of papers. "I'm going to go ... get cleaned up. Good morning sweetheart." He hugged Gosalyn, coming down the stairs.  
"Hey, dad." He headed up the stairs.

* * *

When he came back down, Gosalyn was an emotional livewire at the kitchen table. "Oh, dad, what are you doing? You're going to send me to a boarding school on the other side of the planet?" She sobbed.  
"No! It's also a day school." He grabbed the brochure and pointed to a paragraph, "It says so right here. Anyway, I was just thinking about it. They have good practical classes. Sweetie, I'd never send you away to a boarding school." He grabbed her in a fierce hug. "I'd never part with my little girl. I just thought maybe there was a better school out there for you."

* * *

He sat her down on the chair. "You know what, kiddo," he began in a friendly voice. "I want to go do some investigating, and maybe you can help me. Your ... powers of investigation are almost as good as mine."  
"Oh, yeah, so who are we investigating? Zombies from outer space?"  
"No Gosalyn, we defeated them last summer, remember?" Her face dropped.  
"Oh, yeah." She crossed her arms. "I still can't believe you managed to beat them off with Bushroot's mutant cabbage patch army." She giggled. Drake shrugged.  
"Anyway," he picked up some of the pieces of paper, "this is Hamil Corp."  
"Gosh!" Launchpad exclaimed. "Everyone knows who these guys are! They're the biggest networking business. They go right across the world."  
"Incidentally, they're also vampire central."  
Launchpad gulped. "V-v-v-vamp ..."  
"Vampires? Keen gear! Neat."  
"Do you mind if I ... s-sit this one out, DW?"  
"Yeah, no problems, LP, it should be a piece of cake, anyway."

"Wait a second, only the last few weeks have you been talking about vampires, and if there are vampires in St Canard, wouldn't you have met them long ago? Since you're always out there after dark?"  
"I've been told most of them don't ... uh, you know."  
"Come on, dad, have you ever heard of a vegetarian vampire?"  
He shrugged. "So? That's what I want to investigate."  
"You think it could be true? Good vampires?"  
"Negaduck is still alive. I'm willing to believe it. If it's true. But I want to find out for certain. And I've got a personal invitation."  
"More like personnel invitation," Gosalyn snorted. "Looks like an unsigned employment agreement to me. Don't you dare sign your soul off on this one!" He grabbed the piece of paper away from her.  
He gulped, "what, do you think I'm stupid or something?" He eyed her as she blushed.

"I've learned my lesson dad." She insisted, and then waved the school brochure at him. "Obviously they're trying to bribe you with expensive schools and ... stuff."  
"Malduck said they offer all their employees these things." He narrowed his eyes at Gosalyn. "Look, do you want to come and investigate these guys, or do you want to spend the day with Launchpad?"

* * *

_Later That Day..._

In her favourite news reporter trench coat and hat, Gosalyn followed her dad and stepped in through the glassy entrance of the Hamil Corp building into what seemed like a different planet. "Gee, this looks like a five star hotel on Mars, not an office building."  
"Agreed." They walked over to the central reception desk. Gosalyn kept a step back so that she could still see the clerk's face.  
"Could I get your name, sir?" The man said in a pleasant voice.  
"Drake Mallard." Drake announced himself also in a pleasant voice. Gosalyn rolled her eyes and decided to do a perimeter check of the huge foyer. But her father caught her collar and kept her beside him.  
"Nuts." Gosalyn wriggled free of her dad's grasp and stood still with crossed arms.  
"Hum." The receptionist commented.  
"I was ..."  
"Please take a seat. There'll be someone along to escort you to the CEO's office in a few minutes."  
"Uh, thanks."

* * *

Drake and Gosalyn stepped away and walked into the lounge area. It was really weird; a large piece of extra shaggy carpet just floated on the glossy floor, with a few chairs a fern and coffee table. "Gee, dad, the CEO? What were you up to yesterday, anyway?" Gosalyn rifled through the magazines. Fashion, science, gossip, gardening. A disappointing turnout for vampire central!  
"Well, I kinda got roped into it."  
"Is this something to do with your clothes going black?"  
"Gosalyn!"  
"Or what about the time somebody walked right through you?"  
"This is not the place, Gos." Drake hissed in a low warning voice.  
"Okay, okay. Sheesh." She tapped her foot silently on the fluffy carpet. "This carpet is way new. I can still smell the factory off it." She looked intently at the chair seams. "These are brand new, too." Gosalyn reviewed the foyer again. "Someone died in here."  
"Yes, I was told." Her dad murmured. "It was the work of a criminal." Gosalyn frowned.  
"I'm beginning to see the picture on this."  
"Ooops, time to change the channel."  
"Seriously, dad, vampires don't make a mess. Not being destroyed. And I mean what a waste of blood. They'd have no reason to do that, either."

* * *

She stared at the receptionist several metres away. Was he a vampire? Maybe, maybe not, she realised. There was no way of telling without performing some actual tests. She took a step towards him on the thought. And her dad had grabbed her and lifted her up. "Hold on, little lady." He turned around and put her down facing the opposite direction. "We have to do this properly."  
Gosalyn was about to be cross, when she saw a man in a black and blue uniform coming towards them. "Well, I think this one's for us, anyway."

"Good afternoon. Sorry about the delay, Mister Mallard."  
"Oh. Hi." Mister Mallard shook hands with the suspicious security guard.  
"Hi there, I'm Lawrence." The duck introduced himself to Gosalyn in a mild tone. She debated on giving her full name, but decided Lawrence already knew her father's secret identity.  
"I'm Gosalyn Mallard." Lawrence smiled. "I didn't catch your last name, Lawrence." Gosalyn said politely. Was this guy a vampire? Keen gear, this was exciting!  
"Oh? Lawrence Eider, at your service. If you'll just come with me." They stepped into the elevator. "As I said, I'm sorry for the delays. We've just started a full diagnostic screening. The precinct had different protocols, so it's still a new thing for me."

Gosalyn opened her eyes wide. Talk about blowing previous conceptions out of the water! "You were a police officer?"  
"After my mum."  
"So what did you do wrong?" Lawrence Eider, the suspect in question, laughed.  
"I spent a few years on the beat, I never did anything wrong. But recently I came to feel a little ineffective. Then I got this job offering. I figure, if you gotta stop something, you'd better shoot straight and stop the thing, not pause and pander to politics and policies. This was an excellent opportunity for me. I don't regret it."  
Gosalyn sighed. "Brother. I'm surrounded by alliteration alligators."

_

* * *

_

Moral/Overview: A "Normal" person is just someone you don't know very well.


	9. Battle Scene

_A/N: My POV character has a screw loose from the get go. (I mean, *ahem* he doesn't ever deal well in this sort of situation.) Any suggestions, hints and clues are appreciated and welcome. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Battle Scene**

Gosalyn jumped out of the rat-catcher, throwing down her helmet.  
"You still haven't answered me. What did you mean, you'll 'think about it'? The answer should be no!"  
"Gosalyn ..." He sighed as he picked up the bunch of flowers from the sidecar. He turned and headed up the pathway to Morgana's house. Hopefully she would be able to talk today.

Clouds appeared and lightning hit him. He coughed. "This does not bode well." He brushed his clothes, but instead of purple, he had black again. "Oh, great, just what I need."  
"Maybe you should stick with it, dad, it seems to stick with you."  
"At this rate I won't have any purple outfits left, anyway." He picked up the toasted flowers from the ground. They disintegrated in his fingers.  
"Ouch." Gosalyn commented. "So much for the dove of peace."

"I'm not going into a war zone," Darkwing reaffirmed to himself as he jumped up onto the porch and knocked on the door. "I'm just going to visit my very lovely ..."  
"Oh, it's you, sonny."  
"Aunt Nasty." He gulped down his shock. "Is Morgana in?"  
"She doesn't want to talk to the likes of you, normal."  
"Excuse me?" What was this, a conspiracy? Darkwing felt like his head was about to explode. "I don't believe you!"  
"Hmm, good for dinner, anyway ..." The elderly woman cackled to herself.  
"Yeah right." Gosalyn snorted, as she followed Darkwing, and skirted around Aunt Nasty.

* * *

The instant Darkwing saw Morgana the words tumbled out of his mouth in a rush. "Morgana! I want to know; have-I-done-some-thing-to-upset-you?-Can-I-help-you-with-that?"  
"Darkwing?" Morgana's arms were full with a box of tinkling bottles. "Oh, I'm alright. Hold on, I'll just be a minute." And Darkwing was left in the lounge room with Aunt Nasty.

At least Gosalyn was having a good time. She had disappeared almost immediately with cousin Globby and Morgana's three familiars.

* * *

"Usually when a man comes a-courting, he brings a present or something." Aunt Nasty recollected back to her own heyday.  
"Right, but charcoal flowers don't carry very well!" Darkwing snapped back at her, positively fuming. "What's the big idea, anyway?" Between losing the purple colour of his outfit, losing the flowers, and then taking slack for not having a gift, Darkwing had also lost his patience.

The old woman didn't like his tone, so she swung her trusty frying pan at him. "Missed me!" He grabbed the frying pan from her fingers. Then he left for the kitchen, and put the offensive cooking utensil back up on the rack with its companions. He then returned to the lounge room. Morgana was just coming back through the doorway.  
"Darkwing!" Morgana said in an admonishing tone. "There's no reason to be ..."  
"I haven't done anything." He crossed his arms. "Except being hit by lightning and avoid being eaten again."

"... Where'd my frying pan go?" It seemed Gosalyn had been right about the dove of peace after all. He could have really done with an olive sprig right about now.  
"It's back in the kitchen where it belongs."  
"You didn't have time to do that ..." Aunt Nasty's mind began ticking over.  
"Do what?" Darkwing was about to explode, "I just finished saying that I haven't done anything!" He spun around. "Morgana, please." He pleaded desperately. "I appreciate you want to be with your family while they visit. And I'm sorry to take you from them. But I just need to talk with you for a few teensy minutes? Alone?"  
"Uh, sure." She looked at Aunt Nasty. He took Morgana's hand, and flung his cape around her.

* * *

He took a deep, shaking breath. The cemetery was dark and relatively quiet. He glared at a nearby skeleton leaving his coffin. "Ahem, if you'll excuse us?" The skeleton rattled quickly away.  
"How'd we ... Dark, something's happened to you, hasn't it?"  
"Oh, boy, has something happened to me!" He took another moment to calm down properly. "That's a couple of weeks ago now. I'm getting the hang of it though." He reappeared behind her and tapped her shoulder with his finger. She whirled around. "I missed you, Morg."  
"I thought you were avoiding me. Or my family."  
"Well, I can't talk to them."  
"And why is that?" She had an angry look on her face.  
"Because, all they want to do is kill me. And every time I get zapped, my clothes go black. I'm not Darkwing Duck; I'm Da-ah-ark Duck."  
"Yes, you've certainly gone ... very dark."

"And this past week I've been toe-hopping with vampires, and I keep trying to talk to you, I do."  
"Vampires! What are you doing with vampires?"  
"I've been investigating them. And I've been offered a job."  
"I thought you had a problem with the macabre?" She paused. "A job with vampires? Have you lost your mind?"  
"Actually, I'm thinking it's a pretty good offer. These guys, they've got resources that even S.H.U.S.H. wouldn't think about."  
"Who are these people?"  
"Hamil Corporation."  
"But you belong to the people of St Canard, not some private business. No matter how clean and legitimate they appear to be."

He vanished and reappeared behind her. "But they'll give me better resources to do the same job." She whirled around.  
"Stop doing that." He frowned.  
"I can't really seem to help it. When I'm thinking, and it's dark. Malduck says it's subliminal." "Darkwing, who did this to you?" She gritted. Sparks of fury were glinting in her emerald green eyes.  
"It wasn't who, exactly. I got jumped by the Vespers themselves. It's hard to fight a black cloud."  
"Well, let me see about that!" She seized him, and rammed him against the tree. He hit it solidly.

His thoughts melted away under the spell of her green eyes as she kept him pinned against the tree. "You are so beautiful, Morgana."  
"Well, I ..." Her expression softened. His heart pounded with excitement that she was so close. Then her eyes refocused into the distance and widened. "Megavolt!" She let go of Darkwing.  
"What!" The moment shattered in his head.  
"No, I mean, it's Megavolt!" Darkwing's brain finally switched over from the personal hurt and he turned to where she was pointing.  
"Alright." He drew the edge of his cape up, and stepped protectively in front of Morgana.

* * *

"I've decided to clean you up, Darkwing." Megavolt pointed a vacuum cleaner at him.  
"No, really, you're the criminal." Darkwing Duck appeared behind Megavolt and grabbed the other end of the vacuum cleaner. "I'm the one who cleans you up," he swung it around forcefully. Megavolt lost his grip and went sailing across the ground into a heap.

"Well, what'd'ya know? Looks like Megavolt just made a ... clean sweep, after all." Darkwing looked down at the vacuum cleaner, reading the label. "A super dooper turbo deluxe dust-o-matic 3000? This thing is dangerous!" He snapped it in two and hurled it into a trash can sitting at the street entrance to the cemetery. "Now, where were we, Morgana?" Darkwing took her arm and led her off.

* * *

Dizzily, Megavolt got up off the ground, and looked around for Darkwing Duck. "Hello? Over here!" He called out to the couple, receding into the distance. Darkwing turned around.  
"What'd'ya want, another lift? Go home!" Darkwing shouted back at Megavolt. He shrugged to Morgana, and then took her arm again.  
Megavolt blinked, "I'm dismissed?" He reviewed the remains of his equipment sitting in the trash can. He pulled it back out. "Okay, you might need a bit of a practical adjustment. But I'll fix you up as good as new. Don't you worry, my pet." He put the parts into the back of his old Ute, and looked back into the cemetery. "And then I'll fix him."

**

* * *

**

**To Be Continued ...**

* * *

_Moral/Overview: Nobody gets along with everyone. Conflict is unavoidable in the long term. _


End file.
